Let's Get to Know the 2008 Yankees

As Red Sox fans, we all hate the New York Yankees. It just comes as part of the package. They are the arch rival, the dreaded enemy, the Evil Empire. It is easy to sit in the stands and simply boo and chant against the Yankees for no other reason than we hate them. But, do you know them as well as you know your own team?

A truly rational fan understands that it pays to know the enemy. Tomorrow we will be celebrating, one last time, the Red Sox 2007 Championship. But this weekend the Yankees come to town. Are you ready? If not, let's take a few minutes on this off day to prepare by getting to know the 2008 Yankees a little better. Ready? Okay, let's go.

Let's get the quick question out of the way. As currently constituted, the Yankees are NOT as good of a team as they were last year. Last year they looked like a team to be feared, but fell way short of those expectations, losing the AL East title to the Red Sox for the first time in 9 years. When that happened, we all caught our breath and said, "there are going to be some major changes in New York - Steinbrenner will not stand for that". So, here we are a week into 2008. Let's look at the huge shake up in the Yankee organization.

First, they started at the very top and, in a rather ungracious manner, severed ties with the beloved Joe Torre and replaced him with ex-Yankee player, Joe Girardi. Phew, this is starting out intense.

Next, ...

Wait. That was it. Either George fell asleep and forgot to tell Cashman to keep going, or they figured that the real reason they lost last year was because of the manager. I know what you are thinking. Don't they know Johnny Damon is no longer the guy in center field and Matsui is not the best outfielder, surely they made some moves to tighten up the outfield defense? And what about first base, we all know Giambi has a rock for a glove and the reaction time of those turtles in the Verizon ads on TV. Surely they have bought some overpriced superstar to take over that position? And what about starting pitching? Remember those years where their pitching rotation looked like an All-Star game lineup? Surely they inserted a superstar to keep that tradition going?

Nope. Nothing. Cashman sat on his hands this off season and decided that Joe Girardi could whip these players in line. Maybe he can.

Last year, the Yankees lineup was pretty terrifying to look at, but failed to consistently execute. The lineup hasn't changed, but they just don't look as fearsome...

1) Damon leads off. He still has some speed, but that is starting to decline. Why do you think he is no longer in center field? Because of his poor throwing arm? No one cared about that before. It is because his biggest weapon is dwindling each year - speed - largely due to the abuse his body has been through. It is catching up to him. To get him in the lineup, they either have to put him in left or DH. This will always prevent them from settling in to a routine lineup - largely due to their real DH (Jason Giambi) juggling first base.
2) Jeter bats second. Jeter is still one of the smartest players in the game, and can still be dangerous in the clutch. Offensively, he'll be a solid #2 batter in the order. Still a solid shortstop, but no longer the gold glove candidate he had been. Where this spot once was superhuman, it is not as much so anymore.
3) Abreu bats third. He is still a competent batter, and should hit for decent average, but his power is starting to drop off as age creeps up (he's 34). Last year he batted well, but only managed 16 home runs in a full season. He bats ahead of A-Rod, and that should help him to see more good pitches to hit (like Big Papi hitting ahead of Manny). He is a valid third hitter, but not too scary in the long run. Good right fielder with a good arm.
4) A-Rod bats fourth. Clearly the best batter on the team, but we know he has trouble producing at the most crucial moments. When has A-Rod lived up to expectations when everything is on the line? Defensively he is solid, but not too clutch, and his errors will always come at the worst times. We'll see how he performs as he weans off the steroids (according to Canseco).
5) Giambi 5th. Terrible defensive first baseman, and never the same batter since he got off steroids. I would not be surprised if the does not last the whole season. Between Giambi and Damon, they create confusion for Girardi making out the lineups. Girardi wants both bats, but neither one on defense.
6) Robinson Cano. Very good second baseman, and not a bad batter for that position. Pretty solid, and more fearless than most of their lineup. Provides depth to the batting order.
7) Posada - Had a tremendous year at the plate in 2007 - don't expect that to happen this year. He'll be solid, has lots of experience behind the plate, and certainly won't be a liability by any means. Still one of the better catchers in the game, and can definitely still hit.
8) Matsui batting this low in the order is interesting. He had been much higher up last year. Perhaps injuries and age are catching up a bit? Not a great outfielder, but adequate. He can still hit for power and cause some damage - and if he has a good season, an effective bat in the 8 hole can be quite an asset (remember Bill Mueller winning the batting title in 2003 mostly batting 8th).
9) Melky Cabrera - Looks to have pushed Damon out of center field. Solid player, but fairly light hitting for an outfielder.

So, defense is basically the same as last year, with first base still up in the air. Shelly Duncan should take over first from Giambi once Girardi gives up on the big guy. Duncan is young, and has potential, but not expected to be a star.

On offense, they'll be tough overall, and should score some runs. Not quite a murders row, but fairly balanced. Biggest confusion relates to trying to get Damon and Giambi in the lineup.

Pitching...

The Yankees have 3 starters back, Wang, Mussina, and Pettitte. Wang will be good this year, and is pretty dependable. Not a superstar, but should end up with around 18 wins. Mussina is really looking like the end is near. His fastball seems to be fizzling out, forcing him to rely on his nasty curve more and more. His fastball is consistently in the mid-80's, which is not good. At 39 years old, I don't think he's got much left. Certainly not the pitcher he used to be. Pettitte is turning 36 this year, and is also not quite the pitcher he used to be. I think he will have a decent year, barring injury, but I also think his best years are behind him. The other two slots are filled by promising youth in Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes. Both have potential, but we'll have to wait and see how they do. I think Hughes has the better chance to have a good year.

Somewhat amazed the Yankees did not secure Johan Santana this spring. That would have solidified the rotation, and put them up a notch or two.

The bullpen is anchored effectively by Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera. Mariano is still effective, but not as lights out as he once was. Joba is still showing lots of promise, so the back end looks solid. Kyle Farnsworth is dependable in middle relief, but beyond that it is a bit more jumbled. New guys trying to prove themselves. Hard to do in New York.

Lastly, you should perfectly expect a big move sometime this season, especially if they are not sitting in first place. They will be a contender, and may even squeeze into a playoff spot, but that is no guarantee this year. If they do, I do not see them getting very far in the playoffs.

How do they match up? Offensively I think they match up fairly even with the Sox, but consistency out of JD Drew could tilt that on our favor. Defensively, and in pitching I see the Sox with the edge. Remember, pitching and defense wins championships.

Anemic Offense - where's the bullpen?

I'm going to presume you watched the game. If so - you saw the Sox are not playing like a Champion caliber team right now. Josh Beckett looked very good, better than Roy Halladay, until he began to tire a bit in the fifth inning. When I say he tired, I do not mean basic arm strength. What I mean is that there are a lot of intricate mechanics involved in throwing a pitch not only 98 miles per hour, but also within an inch or two of where you want it to go. In the 5th, he was still throwing strong (his changeup was effective at 91 mph), but he was starting to lose his location - that was mostly due to his conditioning needing to stretch out a little more to get him over 100 pitches while maintaining all the necessary mechanics. With two outs, he gave up a single, followed by two walks. Now, this puts Terry Francona in a tough spot. It is early in the season, your ace is coming off of a back injury and has not gone too deep yet. He just walked two straight batters, and Frank Thomas is coming to the plate. On the one hand, Beckett is such a competitor, he may bear down and get that last out (that might have been my guess). On the other hand, his control may be done, and Thomas will kill him. Terry decided to go with a fresh arm, and on one pitch, Manny Delcarmen left a pitch out over the plate, and Thomas ended the game with his 11th career grand slam.

Yes, that ended the game. Again, the Sox (other than JD Drew!) are having a tough time hitting right now. What does the box score tell you? There are two things that should jump out at you. First, the Sox had 10 hits, but only 4 runs. The Blue Jays had 5 hits and 7 runs. Without even seeing the game, you can see the Sox are not stringing together enough hits to generate a rally. They are getting a hit here, and a hit there. The only reason they even had four runs was that 3 of their hits were solo homers. Yes, all three were solo. Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek, and JD Drew all went deep, but with no one on base. Now, against a pitcher like Halladay, you should be happy with that. But, the grand slam took that luxury away.

David Ortiz finally got another hit, his thrid of the season, and it was an RIB double. Love to see that.

Oh, I forgot. I said there were two things that should jump out at you in the box score. If you have been screaming, "what about the four errors!", then yes, you got it. Now, let's not run out and lynch the guy, but Julio Lugo had the worst day I've seen for him on a Sox uniform. Well, that happens. These guys are human, and some days they go home and wonder why they play this game. Tonight is like that for him. That's not the reason why we lost the game, and that's why I'm not making a big deal out of it. Chances are, a guy with his talent will not make another error for a week or two. He did not cost us the game, but he does need to tighten up.

Lastly, I am simply NOT on the same page as Terry Francona yet this year. I love the guy, don't get me wrong, but a manager has to not only read the numbers, but also get in a groove and fell out what will work. Taking out Beckett when he did, did not work. Now, of course, a rational fan knows why he did it. Beckett is in his first outing coming off an injury, and starting to lose control. But, on the other hand, his middle relief has been terrible. When I looked into Josh's eyes (in HD) I saw determination. His pitch count was not so high that one more batter would have mattered. Just let him get out of the jam himself. Instead, Francona turned it over to the bullpen, and in one pitch it was over. I know - 20/20 hindsight. But, that is how I felt as it went down. The other thing I disagreed with was no pinch hitting for Lugo in the 9th. Lugo was clearly not having a sharp day - that happens. So, bottom of the ninth, two men on, and the tying run at the plate - isn't that the kind of situation we have Sean Casey for? That was supposed to be the point of a guy like Casey - to hit in those kinds of situations. Now, surely Casey may have struck out. But, Lugo was having an off night, Lugo is not likely to hit a home run. So...

Now the Sox come home to friendly Fenway, where they will hopefully get a huge boost from us fans. Let's get these guys going! We are the tenth man - let's do our part.

Tune in tomorrow for some Yankee talk in the off day.

Let's Go Beckett - Where's Big Papi?

When Abner Doubleday came down from the mountains and showed everyone the commandments etched in stone by the baseball gods, the first commandment said, "Thou shalt not walk thy leadoff batter". Kyle Snyder definitely owes us twenty readings of "Casey at the Bat" as penance for walking both the leadoff batter and the second batter of the 6th inning. Of course, both batters scored, and Brian Corey conspired with Snyder to open the floodgates for Toronto as they built up an insurmountable 10-2 lead. Corey was intent on getting that Toronto lead up there. When Snyder came out, he left with men on second and third and one out, thanks to a sacrifice bunt. Then Corey came in and gave up a single to David Eckstein that scored the two baserunners, followed by a pop-out by Matt Stairs. So, two outs, runner on first, time to stop the bleeding and get back to the dugout? No, not yet. Corey then proceeded to give up a double, a single, and a home run to the big guy, Frank Thomas. The good news from there is that Julian Tavares came in and finished off the last 2 1/3 innings and looked very good!

Any rational Sox fan knows that someone was going to get taken off the active roster to make room for Josh Beckett's return, as it has been prophesied (sorry, got stuck in biblical mode again for a second there). Sox fans now had two finalists to be cut on their scorecards. In a bit of a surprise, the cut goes to Karl Snyder. Why a surprise? Because Karl does not have an option to go to Pawtucket and be called up later.

One last note on pitching. Starter Clay Bucholz looked better than he has looked this spring. He gave up 3 earned runs in 5 innings on 6 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. He showed some toughness, which is very promising. The second inning started with a walk and two singles scoring a run, but rather than let things get out of control, he struck out the next two batters followed by a pop-up to end the inning. He got into trouble again in the 4th, and may have gotten out of it with less damage, but for an error by first baseman Sean Casey filling in for the error-free Kevin Youkilis. The good sign here was when Bucholz came back out in the 5th and had an easy 1-2-3 inning.

Last note. Again, the Sox offense looked pretty inept. When is someone other than JD Drew going to start hitting (just had to write that sentence for my man JD). Seriously. It is very easy in a 10-2 loss to point all the fingers at the pitching. But, if the Sox only score 2 runs, the ONLY way they can win is to hold the opponent to zero or 1 run. That's pretty easy math, but while Snyder and Corey provided Toronto with a huge lead, and an emotional let down for the Sox, the game was over once the Blue Jays scored their 3rd run in the 4th inning.

Where do fingers point for that? I hate to say it but Big Papi is a key culprit. Toronto has been employing the "shift" against David Ortiz, and it seems to have him off balance, more so than I've seen in the past. I think he is in a little bit of a slump. Combine that with looking out at the field and seeing all of your hot areas covered, and you can find yourself really pressing. The Sox have played 6 games this season, and so far, in 22 at-bats, Papi has a mere 2 hits creating a .091 batting average. Manny Ramirez is faring better, batting .250 with 6 hits in 24 at bats, but he, along with Ortiz, has been batting poorly in the clutch. Just look at last night, for example. Second inning, runners on first and second with one out and Ortiz grounds out to first sending runners to 2nd and third. That opens up first base, so they intentionally walk Manny, and Lowell, who also has had a slow start, softly lines out to end the inning. Then, in the 7th inning with one out and runners at second and third, Ortiz strikes out and Manny grounds out to end the threat.

So, you're a little worried about pitching? You should be worried about offense.

Yankee review tomorrow - how is the enemy looking this year?

Good Pitching - No Hitting

Last night's game against the Dodgers had some good news and bad news. The game itself was really another way to get in some good work as far as the jet lagged Sox were concerned. The good news is that Bartolo Colon was very solid. He went 4 innings, threw 60 pitches, while only allowing 3 hits and 1 run to go with 4 strikeouts and a walk. He comfortably threw his fastball in the low 90's and did a nice job mixing in his curve ball. The only thing holding him back seems to be another week or two of conditioning. They want to stretch him out to somewhere between 80 and 90 pitches before bringing him up. Word is that he will be the opening day starter for Pawtucket and will probably pitch 3 or four games with the PawSox before the big call up.

The bad news is all about the jet lagged offense. The Sox managed just 3 hits and one run all night. But, Terry Francona made 9 substitutions during the game, so clearly this is not a game to stress about. But, over the next week, I'd love to see the bats coming a bit more to life. Too bad JD Drew got injured when he did, he was the hottest hitter at the time. Big Papi has yet to break out, among others.

Maybe tonight when the Sox play in the tiny Memorial Coliseum. Any chance Papi has been working on going the other way? A little pop up will be off the wall.

Two down, 160 to go

Again, this trip to Japan is definitely odd. The season has started and the Sox are 1-1, but now we go back to playing exhibition games? I'm sorry, but I just don't like that. But, I do like the fact that the Sox are getting a chance to recover a bit from the travel before jumping into the next game.

What happened in game 2? Well, bottom line is the Sox ran into a very good pitcher having a very good day. Rich Harden looked terrific in his 2008 debut, and A's fans should be very happy about that. He more or less mowed down a good hitting lineup. He went 6 innings, striking out 9 batters while only allowing 3 hits. Very impressive. The downside for Harden was the home run to Manny, along with 3 walks. The Sox bats were cooled off enough that they managed only 2 more hits and 4 more strike outs after Harden's exit from the game following the 6th inning. Thirteen strikeouts in one game for the Sox? Not a proud offensive showing.

Lester looked decent and kept the Sox in the game. His control was off enough that batters were able to work the count on him and get his pitch count up, leading to an earlier than desired exit. I like Lester, and I expect he'll be a reasonably reliable 4th or 5th man in the rotation. I don't see him going much beyond that yet, unless he can consistently lock his command down, which he has only shown glimpses of so far.

What to watch for next...

Bartolo Colon will be getting the start in the first exhibition game against the Dodgers. He's still looking good, and a good start in that game may accelerate his time table. As a Sox fan, your biggest worry right now should be who will fill Schilling's spot in the rotation. You have heard that last year's Championship team is nearly untouched, so why not will it all again? Well, without Schilling, the all-important starting rotation has a hole. Last year we had Schilling, Beckett, Dice-K, and Wakefield as the core of the rotation (granted Schilling was injured for a period of time, but follow along for a minute). The 5th spot was filled admirably by Tavares and then Lester in September. Without Schilling, we need to rely on someone like Clay Bucholz to step up. But, as a rookie, I'd look for him to be a 4th or 5th man in the rotation. That bumps Wakefield up to 3rd in the rotation.

So, to me, Colon could turn the season around. If he gets back to even close to his potential, he clearly fits in as either the number 2 or 3 man, leaving Wake in the 4th slot, and allowing more flexibility for Francona to work the hot hand into the 5th slot. With an effective Colon added to the rotation, the Sox would have the nod over the Yankees on pitching. Without him, it's a draw.

I never thought I'd be cheering for Colon. Times change.

One game, One win

Doesn't it feel great to have baseball back? Red Sox win in extra innings. The game started off fairly sluggish, but got exciting as it went along. I think opening in Japan is interesting, but all-in-all, I don't like it. It does absolutely nothing to help either team, throws their spring training into turmoil, and after two games, they go back to playing exhibition games. That just doesn't make sense. Their ONLY point to playing these games in Japan is money and marketing. Someone needs to think these through better.

So, let me run you through some thoughts I collected while watching opening day. Got to get these out before game two starts in a couple hours.

I have to admit, I missed most of the first two innings, and apparently Dice-K did not start off well. However, after the 2nd, he settled down pretty well. It it wasn't for a high pitch count by then, combined with the game being so early on, he looked like he could have cruised another inning or two.

The A's really helped the Sox out quite a bit. In the 6th inning, Dustin Pedroia's double should have been an out. Not the easiest catch in the world, but the right fielder was there, had a bead on it, and should have grabbed it. If you ask him, I bet he agrees. That miss helped set up Manny's double, driving in the first 2 RBI of the year for the Sox. Manny started off slow last year, but so far so good this year. Then, Brandon Moss strokes a nice single to right, and Manny is waved home from second. Manny scores, but the throw is terrible. If they had A real major league arm in right field (like Dewey Evans), Manny would have been held to third, or gunned down. It would have taken a good throw, but the throw they got was terrible.

I know, you want to send Karl Snyder to the minors. If you think that, please go home. He made, and I count, ONE bad pitch. It was a bad one, but there was only one. The first batter hit a single, but it was a poorly hit ball that found its way up the middle. Those things happen. The home run pitch to the next batter was bad. Varitek called for a fastball outside, and Snyder threw it inside, right in the lefty wheelhouse. Tip your hat to Snyder for getting the next three outs in a row in fine fashion. That is the sign of a good professional. He did not fall apart, he sucked it up, knowing he just blew the lead, and did his job. That's what we need in a middle reliever.

Other good pitching - Javier Lopez great job, and Okajima picked up right where he left off. For the competition, old friends Embree, Foulke and DiNardo all looked good.

If you've been reading, you know my one complaint about Ellsbury is his hesitation going up for balls against the wall. While tonight's terrific catch does not quite fit into that category (it was enough in front of the wall to create a different situation for the outfielder), it was a wonderful catch, worthy of Coco Crisp. And let's all tip our hats to Brandon Moss' first career home run to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. Amazing!

Then, another gift from Oakland when Brown somehow decides he wants to go to third on a double that already drove in a run in the 10th. What he was thinking was that the throw was going home, giving him time to get to third. But, Youk cut the throw off, and Brown was dead.

Papelbon looked good, not great. But, it is early, and it is Asia. Let's give them a chance to settle in. The A's could have easily won that game, but mistakes cost them the game.

Manny is the hero, and goat, of the game. Great hitting, and he looks in tip top shape. His failure to run hard on a hit he thought was a home run in the 10th is terrible. In the end, it made no difference. He would never had made it tho third, and the winning runs scored. But, he's luck he made it to second.

So, good start, lots of heart, lots of damage from the middle of the order, and with Papi's bat cold, Manny stepped up. Nice start.

Game On!

It is here at last - opening day! By the time you read this, the game may very well be over. But heading into the game, let me give you something to chew on.

The batting order that has been communicated at this point is as follows:

Pedroia
Youk
Papi
Manny
Lowell
JD Drew
Varitek
Ellsbury
Lugo

If it does not jump out at you, let me give you a hint. Look at the top of the order. Wouldn't you expect Jacoby Ellsbury to lead off? He did a great job of getting on base last season, and when he gets on base he creates all kinds of trouble for the defense. With his speed he can practically score from first on a sacrifice fly! While that is an exaggeration, he DID score from second base on a wild pitch last year.

So, what gives? Pedroia is a fine batter, but a s...l...o...w runner. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure exactly why the order is the way it is. You may hear that they don't want to put Ellsbury right in the spotlight to start off his "official" rookie season. Well, I would not give that theory much credit. They put Jacoby in the lead off spot as a replacement for the injured Coco Crisp in the World Series! There is no bigger stage than that. If they are willing to bat him lead off in the World Series, then opening day is not a big deal.

Here the real (most likely) reason. Jacoby has not had a great spring offensively. He is not their regular lead off batter (ala Johnny Damon for a few years). So, they are playing him relative to how he is playing right now. I guarantee he will not spend much time batting 8th this season. Terry Francona is simply putting him in a low pressure part of the order while he is looking for his groove at the plate and letting him get his stroke back with less urgency than if he was batting lead off.

Look for Dice-K to have a great game. He is at home, in comfortable surroundings, playing in front of an adoring home crowd. This should be a great game for him. The one thing to watch there is removing a starter during a game is a bigger deal than in the US. I'm sure that won't sway Francona, but I wonder how the Japanese fans will react to it. This time of year, I don't expect starters to go more than 6 innings.

Game On!

Sox almost boycott Japan

Interesting story developing today about the Sox almost boycotting the trip to Japan. Apparently, during negotiations leading up to the players agreeing to the trip, it was agreed that the coaches and staff would receive a stipend of roughly $40,000 for making the trip. However, yesterday Terry Francona found out that the stipend was being given to the players, but it was not being extended to the coaches and staff. The coaches and staff are not part of the players union and have very little leverage in negotiating these types of issues.

You should be proud, Sox fans, that our players stepped up. They took a vote, and it was unanimously agreed that they would sit out today's spring training game against the Blue Jays, and would boycott tonight's flight unless MLB stepped up and paid the stipend as originally promised. This was confirmed, and most likely instigated, by our very own Captain, Jason Varitek. Well, it seems to have worked - the game got played, and the flight is on.

All I can say is, way to go Sox! Most of the players' salaries are high enough where the stipend will not make a huge difference for them. But, to the coaches and staff, this stipend is significant, and was promised. Past team trips to Japan have provided this stipend, so I'm not sure where MLB missed this.

To me, this is a good sign of a unified team who are all looking out for each other - no 25 players and 25 cabs these days. I can tell you, a tight, unified team will always have more success. We are off on a good foot. Next stop....Tokyo.

Surprised by Mirabelli's Release?

You should be. This is not earth shattering news, but if you are intrigued, then you are paying attention. Doug Mirabelli has been the Sox primary backup catcher since 2002. He is very competent defensively, and is better than most at handling the knuckle ball, which allows the Sox to get the most out of Tim Wakefield, while providing regular rest for Jason Varitek. Mirabelli has never been a great hitter, but has been occasionally clutch and does reasonably well for a part time player. He became a free agent after 2007, but was re-signed this winter to a one year $550,000 contract. So, what changed since they signed the new contract?

Well, Doug's batting has been slowly declining since 2004, but he batted a reasonable .273 in six games this spring. Also, his age has been slowly increasing. Doug is 37 years old this year. That is not ancient, but it makes sense that the Sox would want to get younger at catcher. With Varitek turning 36 next month, they clearly need to be grooming the catchers of the future. My guess is that is exactly what is happening, but I do wonder why they signed Mirabelli to a new contract - wouldn't that have already been apparent? Well, perhaps they wanted to make sure someone could catch Wakefield, and Doug was their guy until someone else stepped up. So, who's stepping up? Who is the guy that has proven to them that they no longer need Mirabelli? Tim Wakefield has started 3 games so far this spring. For every inning of those three starts, his catcher has been Doug Mirabelli. If someone is taking his place, wouldn't you want to see that person handle Wakefield in at least one game this spring?

You may have read and heard that his successor is apparently Kevin Cash. If that is true, that is nothing more than a short term fix. Kevin Cash is not the catcher of the future for the Sox. I like the guy, but he is 30 years old, and only occasionally has he shown big league potential. He failed to stick with the Blue Jays, playing with them from 2002 to 2004 when he went to Tampa Bay. He had one spotty year with the D-Rays in 2005 and spent all of 2006 in the minors. When you can't make it with the Devil Rays, you've got to wonder. He was a decent fill-in last year for the Sox when Mirabelli was injured. But, how many catchers suddenly become big league material starting in their 30's? So, if Kevin Cash starts the season in Boston, it will be purely to be a backup catcher for this year, and the Sox must feel that he'll give them a little more than Mirabelli would have.

But, look further. There are two other young catchers coming along in the Sox system, Dusty Brown and George Kottaras. These guys are young, 25 and 24 years old respectively, and are looking pretty good, both of then batting over .400 this spring. So, do the Sox have hopes that one of these guys will take Mirabelli's place? Not sure, especially since neither of them has caught Wakefield in a game this spring. More likely, these guys are potential guys to take over for Varitek as the starter in a couple years. If that's what they hope, they won't waste their playing time sitting on the bench and solely catching the knuckle ball. So, the more they like these guys, the more likely they'll be in Pawtucket this year.

So, like I said, if you are intrigued, you are paying attention. I think the most likely situation is that they simply felt Mirabelli's skills, mostly due to age, have declined, and they want to break the mold of having a knuckle ball specialist as a catcher. They want more flexibility than that, and are willing to sacrifice a few extra passed balls to get a younger, hotter catcher as a backup, and Kevin Cash may be able to provide that. There is one other possibility that would not surprise me. It is conceivable that there is a trade pending that could being a new catcher into the picture. But, you would think they'd hang on to Mirabelli until the ink was dry first.

Can the Red Sox top Billy Crystal?

I have been hearing it on the radio, on the street and in the papers. The Yankees are (reluctantly) conceding that the Red Sox have become the team to beat. The Yankees have been shaken from the 2004 devastating loss to the Red Sox in the ALCS. The Yankees are desperate and clawing at anything to leapfrog back ahead of the Red Sox. I heard all of these things, and even after the firing of Joe Torre, I have been reluctant to believe it. Until now.

Have you heard the Yankees are giving Billy Crystal a shot at the big leagues tomorrow? He will officially be signed to a minor league contract (details of which are not available here), and that gives him the opportunity to win a spot on the big league roster. He is already slated to be a starter in the game against the Pirates this Thursday. But, who are the Yankees kidding? Sure, Billy Crystal is a devoted, life-long fan of the Yankees. Who can deny that? How many fans have gone to the trouble to make a movie about their favorite team? (the 2001 movie was "61*" and told the story of Roger Maris' 61 home run season - a good movie). But if they are trying out Billy Crystal, I will concede, the Yankees are surely desperate.

Can this be rational? Billy Crystal is turning 60 years old. Isn't that too old for MLB? Well, Satchel Paige pitched at the "official" age of 59 (no joke), so maybe there's a precedent. More recently, we've had old timers like Nolan Ryan and Julio Franco rolling the old wheelchair out onto the field. My guess, given that we are in the 21st century, is that Billy is taking a page from another adored Yankee player who showed us all how the simple adoption of modern medicine can allow you to continue to play year after year. Yes, Roger Clemens. Isn't it obvious? Billy Crystal was a regular figure at Yankee stadium during Roger's best years with the Yankees. Billy Crystal had a big fan in George Steinbrenner. So, Billy Crystal uses his fame to get himself access to the Yankee clubhouse, befriends Clemens, and shares with Roger his plan to get in shape and make the team someday. Roger, ever the baseball mentor, takes Crystal under his wing, introduces him to his own personal trainer, Brian MacNamee, and the next thing you know, Billy Crystal will come strutting out of the dugout tomorrow looking like a wrinkled version of Jose Canseco.

So, clearly the Yankees have outdone themselves this time. They are indeed desperate. But, they are clever. While the rest of the league explores untapped baseball talent across Asia and South America, the Yankees are the only ones exploring the untapped resources of Hollywood. It seems so obvious now, doesn't it? It was right under our noses the whole time! But, again, I think the Red Sox can outsmart them at their own game. Billy Crystal did not portray a baseball player in his movie, he directed it. Where the Red Sox (are you listening Theo?) can counter this is by going hard after Kevin Costner, and they need to do so before the Yankees think of it. Not only has Kevin Costner been associated with baseball movies, but he has played the parts of baseball players and adoring fans of baseball. I know what you are thinking - but is he a Red Sox fan? Well, maybe not to the extent that Billy Crystal is a Yankees fan, but in "Field of Dreams", which ballpark did he drive across the country to attend a game, Yankee Stadium? No, it was Fenway Park. That's good enough for me. And not only has he proven his love for the game in "Field of Dreams", but he also played a catcher in "Bull Durham" and a pitcher in "For the Love of the Game". We all know how valuable pitchers and catchers are.

Just imagine our first game against the Yankees when they trot out their new secret weapon in Billy Crystal, and then see the looks on their faces when Kevin Costner strides out of the dugout and takes the mound for the Red Sox. What a sight that would be!

Red Sox Pitching Progress

You've heard it a million times now - pitching wins championships. The point being that solid pitching is the foundation a team needs to start from. So, how does the pitching situation look for the Red Sox so far? Very promising!

Bad news - Schilling is out for a significant period of time. A healthy Schilling eats up innings, provides a solid veteran presence, can handle pressure, and is a proven post-season star. He will be missed, but that is nearly all the bad news!

Positives:

It was very confusing last year why Dice-K looked so good earlier in games, and earlier in the season. For a while, hitters were incredibly off balance, than later they were not. Well, according to pitching coach John Farrell, they discovered Dice-K was tipping his change-up. Not a good thing. The change-up is a fairly easy pitch to hit - IF you know it is coming. The change-up is a stealth pitch. To the batter, the pitcher looks like he is throwing a fast ball. However, due to a different way of gripping the ball, the pitch comes in roughly 10 miles per hour slower. It will either confuse the batter long enough to force him to take the pitch, or get him swinging too early. Anyway (you know all that already), if the batter knows it is coming, watch out! So, they've worked with Dice-K on perfecting the change-up and early indications are that the adjustments are working! This can make a huge difference!

Bartolo Colon looks like a steal so far. Throwing very well, mechanics are solid, and arm strength is great! If he keeps this up, don't be surprised he works his way into the #3 spot in the rotation! But, coming off of injuries the past two years, my concern is whether the elbow will last an entire season, or get sore again?

Tim Wakefield seems to be over his back issues and throwing well. Beckett is in better shape than last year and looks poised to dominate again! John Lester looked good in his last outing, and got some important post season experience last year.

As of today, my starting 5 for the Sox:
1) Josh Beckett (obviously)
2) Daisuke Matsuzaka (look for at least as good of a year as last year)
3) Bartolo Colon (presuming the elbow stays strong - may start in AAA for the first game or two)
4) Tim Wakefield (an effective knuckler keeps batters uncomfortable)
5) John Lester (nice to have a left starter)

Bullpen:
Julian Tavarez - long relief - spot starter
Karl Snyder - long relief - spot starter
Mike Timlin - middle relief - occasional setup man - spot closer
Manny Delcarmen - middle relief
Javier Lopez - need a lefty in the 'pen
Hideki Okajima - setup man - occasional closer
Jonathan Papelbon - Closer

Buchholz or Hansack may start the season with Boston if Colon is not ready. They'll probably spend most of their time in Pawtucket, and get called up as needed. If there is a significant injury, or they simply shine, they may stick longer. Gronkiewicz, Corey, Tejera and Masterson are all potential call ups as needed, but expect them to play mostly in the minors. They would be available to replace Tavarez, Snyder or Lopez if they aren't getting the job done.

That leaves Craig Hansen. So far, he still looks disappointing. He hit the Sox with such promise, but has shown very little since then. He throw very well, has a strong arm, but just can't get guys out. Not sure if it is mental, or perhaps predictability. Hopefully he can turn it around this year and start moving up!

Is Colon Signing Rational?

In a nut shell...Yes! But...

Something is not right with Bartolo. Between 1998 and 2005 he pitched in a minimum of 30 games and could be counted on for a solid 15 wins. In fact, he was the second winning-est pitcher in that span topping out with 21 wins and a coveted Cy Young award in 2005. Think about that - 2005! That is not long ago. In 2006 he had some shoulder issues, and last year had some elbow issues. You'll hear that towards the end of last year he was looking pretty good in September. The next thing you know, the Sox seemingly pick him up off the scrap heap for a bare bones minor league deal just two years after winning a Cy Young award?

So, the Angels tossed him aside for nothing, and no other team offers him anything better than a minor league deal? Yes, something is wrong. I do not recall Colon having undergone surgery within the last two years, so here are some possibilities...

1) He has structural damage to either the shoulder or elbow, or both, and won't regain his old form for any extended period of time without surgery.

2) Age and being overweight and not in great shape have caught up to him a little sooner than most, and his best days are simply in the past.

3) He has checked out mentally and no longer has the drive to get it done.

4) (I hate it that we have to consider this these days) I suppose there is a possibility he had been enjoying the benefits of some sort of performance enhancing drugs and had to stop using them due to newly imposed testing procedures and can no longer perform at a top level without them. Hopefully that is not the case, and I'm not implying it is, but worth a thought.

The thing that gets me is if Colon was simply working through a moderate injury last year and that's all, he would not have been let go with no other team interested! Something is wrong, and baseball people know it and are not interested.

But, since the Sox only signed him to a minor league deal, they are taking on a potentially helpful pitcher for very low money ($18,000 per month while he's in the minors and if he's called up he'll get $1.2 million pro-rated over whatever is left of the season at that point). so, it was not a bad idea for Theo to pick him up, and he may prove to be helpful at some point.

I just can't imagine how every other team passed him by if he's got anything left in the tank at all. My guess is that he'll be mediocre at best, and may fill in as a starter, although not with consistent effectiveness. If he somehow is able to pull it together and pitch well, Theo will have made the steal of the year. It is just hard to imagine.